The interest in ELearning is clearly growing. Many organizations are replacing their classroom training with eLearning and even colleges and universities beginning to offer an online version of most courses. There is some question as to whether ELearning will ever replace traditional classroom training. Undoubtedly, eLearning has many benefits over traditional learning. While it costs more money to develop eLearning, once it is developed, it does not require additional investments whereas classroom training requires paying the costs of attending the course, materials, travel, and accommodation. The salary of the instructor should also be calculated into the cost. In addition to monetary savings, eLearning offers the convenience of taking courses at any time and place. While eLearning does have a lot of benefits, it is not a “one size fits all” solution. Older learners are used to traditional teaching methods and would never substitute classroom training for eLearning. Also, many … [Read more...] about What Is The Future Of ELearning?
The ELearning Course Designer’s Blog
ELearning Navigation: Locking Down The Navigation
When instructional designers are tasked with developing an e-Learning course, one of the dilemmas that they face has to do with navigation. While most e-Learning professionals believe that successful e-Learning courses should not be linear and therefore, navigation should not be locked, they still continuously develop courses with locked navigation to accommodate their clients’ request. The main reason why clients want to lock navigation is because they want learners to go through every single screen in order not to miss any important information. While this reasoning makes sense, it does not address the ultimate goal of any training program, which is learning transfer. The reason is simple. If the learner has visited every single screen and listened to every single word, does that mean that the learner now knows the content and can apply it to his daily job? Well, most likely not. E-Learning modules must be interesting for learners to engage with the content and actually benefit … [Read more...] about ELearning Navigation: Locking Down The Navigation
5 Parts Of Corrective Feedback In ELearning
As an instructional designer, I know that Level 2 evaluation plays a significant role in ensuring that learners truly understand the presented material. While most e-Learning courses contain some type of test or quiz, many do not bother to provide adequate feedback. In fact, feedback, plays a crucial role in helping learners progress towards their goals and understand whether they have mastered the content from the course. The main goal of corrective feedback is to provide remediation and promote learning. The feedback that learners receive can be either intrinsic or indirect or extrinsic or direct. The type of course, presentation methods, and assessment instruments chosen determine the type of feedback you provide. For example, while extrinsic feedback may be a good choice for multiple-choice questions, it may not work well for a game. Instructional designers should carefully construct corrective feedback for each question to ensure that it covers all objectives of the … [Read more...] about 5 Parts Of Corrective Feedback In ELearning
Does Informal Learning Really Work?
In this blog post, I want to talk about informal learning and its value in the training industry. Informal learning is the unofficial and spontaneous way people learn to do something. While formal training events play a significant role in our learning, we also learn while talking to our colleagues, during meetings, by simply observing what other people do, and most importantly, through trial-and-error. In fact, according to research, formal learning only accounts for 10 to 20 percent of what people learn at work. When people attempt to answer the question how they really learned to do their job, most of us agree that it wasn’t through formal schooling, webinars, or trainings, but rather through reading professional literature, searching the Internet, talking with experts and more experienced colleagues, and through either a coach or a mentor. Learning does not happen overnight. It is a skill that requires practice. As you practice and become more experienced at what you do, the … [Read more...] about Does Informal Learning Really Work?
Why Instructional Designers Should Use HTML 5 In ELearning?
Today, I want to talk about HTML5 and what it means for the eLearning developers. HTML5 is the latest standard for HTML. It is the combination of HTML, CSS3, and JavaScript. HTML5 was designed to deliver rich content without the need for downloading additional plugins such as Flash Player. HTML5 delivers animation, graphics, music, and movies, and can even be used to build complicated web applications. Additionally, thanks to HTML5, mobile devices will now be able to play content they weren’t able to play before. While HTML5 is designed to work on PCs, Tablets and Smartphones, many organizations have issues with it. The main problem is that these organizations do not update their web browsers and to have an HTML-based website accurately displayed in the browser, it is necessary to use the most recent version. Once the HTML5 came out, most eLearning development tools (Adobe Captivate7, Articulate Storyline, Lectora 11, and iSpring Suite, Articulate Studio ’13) have been updated to … [Read more...] about Why Instructional Designers Should Use HTML 5 In ELearning?
How To Make Your Mandatory Compliance Training More Exciting
All organizations at one point or another require their employees to take mandatory compliance training courses. However, the more I think about these mandatory courses, the more I come to believe that they do not achieve their desired goal, which is changing people’s behaviors and attitudes towards something. Furthermore, most compliance training takers consider these courses a burden as they take time out of their daily duties. As a result, not only do these mandatory courses not teach, but they also end up being a waste of the money for organizations. In addition, to ensuring ethical business practices in the organization and to complying with the law, mandatory training is responsible for ensuring a better workplace culture. Therefore, when instructional designers are tasked with the design and development of a mandatory training course, they should use all their creativity to ensure a successful outcome. How can compliance training be interesting and fun? To accomplish that, … [Read more...] about How To Make Your Mandatory Compliance Training More Exciting